Type-writer.



un.. 696,304, Patented Mar. 25, |902'. w. J. THonPsun a P. Becken.

TYPE WRITER l (Appliemon mod 1m. 2u, 1901.) l (No-Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

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:mms Ptrsns wv, Pnoroumov. wAsmNmoN u c Patented Mar'. 25, lsz.' w. .1. THoMPsoN a P. BECKER.

TYPE WRITER.

(Applimion med un. su, 1901)) 3 Sheets-.Shouf 2.

-A(No Model.)

W/ T/VE SSE S ATTORNEYS TRE Nonms PETER! en., PHOTO-Uma.. wAsmNcTon, D. c.

No. ss,ao4. l Patnteq nar. 2S, m02,

.. w. .1. lTmmPsou a. P. Backen.

TYPE WRITEBL (Application med-Hax. 25, 1901.) I (In Model.)

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J. THOMPSON AND PHILIP BECKER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TYPE-WRiT-En.

sPIzcIFIcATIoN fomingpare of Letters :Patent No. eeeoe, dates March 25, 1902.

I Application filed March 25,*1901- Serial No. 52,674. (No model.)

.T0 a/M whom it may concern: V

Beit known that we, WILLIAM J .THOMPSON and PHILIP BECKER, citizens of the United States, and' residents of the city of New York, borough ofManhattan,in the county and State of New York, have invented a new. and Im-l proved'Type-Writer, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a type writer which in its preferred form embodies a flexi-` ble type-form mounted for rotary movement to locate the type forimpression and'arran ged with certain peculiardevices for fiexingthe` type to effect impressions, spacing the characters impressed, and effecting certain other results necessary to and advantageous in lthe operation of the machine.

This specification is the specific description of one form of the invention, while the claims are definitions ofthe actual scope thereof.

Reference'is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in all the views.

` Figure 1 is a plan viewof the invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same.- Fig.

3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a planview of the machine with the typeform and bell removed. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. (5 is a section on the line 6 G of Fig. 4.V Figs. 7 and Spare sectional views similar to Fig. 6, but'showing the part-s in dierent positions. Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the spacing,jshifting, and impressing devices with parts broken away. Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation on )the line l0 10 of Fig. 4. Fig. 11 is a fragmentary bottom plan of the type-form and linger-wheel. Fig. 12 is a section on the line 12 l2 of Fig. 4. Fig. 13 is a section on the line 13 13 of Fig. 4. Fig. 14 is a section'on the line 14 14 of Fig. 13, and Fig. 15 is a sectional view of a modified construction hereinafter more parswinging frame movable toward and from the for locating andimpressing the type and for movingthe carriage on the trackway to space the characters impressed.

a indicates the base of the machine. On thisbase areerected side walls a', between which is mounted the platen a2, which is in the form of a roller and fitted at its ends outside of the walls awith finger-wheels ai' for .facilitating the manipulation of the platen. The platen also has a notched wheel a4 on its axle, and with thiswheel works a springcatch a5, serving to holdv the platen in the position in which it is placed. A roller a is arranged in front of the platen a2 and parallel therewith and serves to press the paper properly against the platen, as shown best in Fig. 3. This roller at@ is held in spring-bearings a7, which apply the proper pressure to the roller.

The carriage-frame comprises two side bars h, arranged one immediately adjacent to the innersideof each wall a of the base and pivotally mounted thereon at the points b. These side bars b are connected together by transverse bars or rods b2 and b3, thebar h2 lbeing arranged at the rear portions of the side bars b and the bar h3 being 'arranged at their front extremities. The side bars b of the frame are further connected together by a plato h4, which extends transversely between the side bars at the front ends thereof. The parts b2 and b4 form a track on which the carriage runs, as will be fully explained` hereinafter. The carriage-frame thus mounted is movable on its pivots 0 toward i and Afrom' the platen, so as to occupy the position- 'shown in Fig. 3 or that shown in Fig. 5. The

rear or pivot-ed ends of the side bars hof the,

fect is due to the connection of the guard b5 IOO with the ends of the side bars b ata point olf the center of the movement of the side bars, so that as the carriage-frame swings the guard b5 is drawn rearwardly over the platen, and by this movement it smooths out the paper. Paper is inserted into the machine by moving its top edge upward between the platen and the roller a and then passing said edge between the platen and the guard b5. This is shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

The carriage comprises a circular casing or basket c, containing the type-form, and a body plate c', attached to the front portion of the basket c at the under side thereof and extended forwardly over the plate b4, the front edge of said plate being turned upwardly, as indicated at 57 in Fig. 3, and the front edge of the body-plate c being projected under said upturned edge of the plate b4, so as to iit slidable therein. The basket c of the carriage lies over the bar b2 and is slidably held thereon by a tongue c2, which is struck up from the material forming the basket. Fastened to the body-plate c of the carriage is a clamping-plate c3, which lies over the top of the plate c and has its front edge turned downward around the upturned edge 117 of the plate b4. This construction is shown best in Fig. 5 and is also visible in Fig. 10. The plates c3 and c being firmly fastened together press between them the upturned front edge'of the plate b4, and thus mount the carriage frictiontight on the plate b4 and at the same time hold it incapable of any movement but a sliding movement in a direction longitudinally of the said plate b4. It will thus be seen that the parts b2 and b4 form the track on which the carriage is mounted and that this track is carried by and forms part ofthe carriage-frame. The parts c, c', and c3 form the principal parts of the carriage, as illustrated in the drawings. The parts are so arranged that the front portion of the basket c will lie just over the platen a2, as best shown in Fig. 5, and the front portion of the basket, as well as the body-plate c/ of the carriage, are formed with orifices, (indicated at c4 in Figs. 4 and 5,) through which orifices the typo-form is liexed to impress a type.

The finger-wheel and the type-form are best illustrated in Figs. 5 and l1 and comprise a body member in the form of a disk d, to the bottom side of which is fastened a plate d', preferably of metal, this plate carrying at its peripherya flat ring d2, of rubber or other exible material, on the under side of which the type are produced, as shown in Fig. 1l. The parts d' and d2 constitute the type-form. The iinger-wheel comprises a disk d3, preferably of metal, which is fastened to the top of the block d and which has fingers d4 formed on its periphery, such fingers corresponding with the type on the ring on the type-form. Over the finger-wheel d3 is arranged a capplate d5, allof those parts being fastened to the block (l. As Fig. 1l will best show, the type-form is provided with upper and lower case letters, and these letters are all arranged in one circular line on the type-form. Fig. l1 will also show that each of the fingers d of the iinger-wheel are arranged so that beneath it will occur one upper-case character and one lower-case character of the same form. The parts composing the type-form and finger-Wheel are mounted to turn within the basket c of the carriage on a suitable device, (indicated at 616,) such device forming a pivot or axle for the parts. The type-form lies wholly within the basket c, just over the bottom thereof, while the finger-wheel has its periphery arranged just above the upper edge of the basket c, which edge is turned over and outward, as shown in Fig. 5. The type on the type-form are arranged so that they will lie just over the openings c4 in the carriage, thus permitting the type-form to be flexed so that any one of its type will pass through the opening and engage the paper on the platen.

The impression device comprises a rockbar e, which is pivotally mounted within the basket c of the carriage and which extends parallel with the parts b2 and b4 of the carriage-frame. This rock-bare has a transverse fingere', projecting forwardly to a point immediately over the opening c4 in the bottom of the carriage. This impression device lies in the basket between the type-form and the linger-wheel, such device being over the type-form, so that by rocking the arm e downward (assuming that the parts are in the adjustment shown in Fig. 5) the type-form will be flexed by the arm e' downward through the opening c4 in the carriage and caused to impress a type upon the paper on the platen. The impression device is normally sustained in the position shown in Fig. 5 by the flexible character of the type-form.; but of course this flexibility of the type-form yields to positive pressure upon the impression device.

The type-form is kept inked continuously from an inking-padf, which is mounted to turn within the basket c of the carriage in position to be engaged by the top of the form as the type thereon turns around its pivot d6. For cleansing the type of superfluous ink and keeping them uniformly supplied we provide two wiper-pads j", which are located in the bottom of the basket c, respectively, on the sides of the opening c, as best illustrated in Fig. 4. The result ot' this arrangement is that no matter in which direction. the typeform be moved any type passing from the inking-padfto a point over the opening c4 will have engaged one of the wiping-pads f and will thus be rid of superiiuous ink, which would interfere with a clear impression of the type.

The carriage is advanced along its track with a step-by-stcp movement to space the IOO IIO

printed characters apart, and the device forv member g, which, as best shown in Fig. 14C,

is pivotally mounted on lugs g', struck up from a plate g2, which plate is fastened on the carriage over the plate c3. The key member g is provided with a spring-pawl g3, which works on a rack bs, formed on the plate b4 by striking up small tongues thereon, as illustrated best in Fig. 13. By pressing down the left-hand end of the key member g the spacing-pawl gs is caused to engage the rack bs and advance the carriage along its track. The key member g carries a key7 g4, which has a stem g5, headed at its lower end and iitted loosely in the key member. When the key g4 is pushed down, as indicated in Fig. 9, it moves downward the key member g sufficiently to operate the pawl g3 and space the carriage for the width of one letter' of the typeform; but the downward movement ofv the key g4 is checked when this point is reached by the engagement of the bottom end of the stem g5 with the carriage. This position of the parts is shown in Fig.r9. The purpose of this arrangement is to enable the carriage to be spaced without effecting an impression of the type, notwithstanding that thespacing and impression devices may be so closely associated with eachv other as to enablethese operations to be performed by a single movement, if desired.- The key g4 is therefore the spacing-key and ismarked as such in Fig. l.'

The key member g has an extension Q6, which liesover the transverse arm c2, formed on the left-hand end of the rock-bar e, as shown best in Fig. 4L. Mounted on the member g is a second key gT, which is fastened rigidly thereto. When this key Q7 is pushed down,it carries the key member g down a distance suflicient not only to operate the spacing-pawl g3,

but also to engage the extension g6 with they arm c4. of the rock-bar e and impart a downward movement to the finger e' of the said bar, this movement resulting in the impression of a type, as before explained. This extensive downward movement of the key member g will not be interfered with by the key g4 or the stem g5 thereof, since this stem is loosely movable in thekey member, and when its lower end strikesthe carriage the downward movementof the key g4 will cease andthe key member g will continue its movement independently of thekey g4. It follows, therefore, from the above'description that the carriage may be spaced and a type impressed by a single movement of the key member g, effected by pressing down on the key g7. lt also follows that should the operator desire simply to spacek the carriage this may be done by pressing down on the'key g4. The right-hand end of the key member g is provided with a finger-piece g8, adapted to be engaged by the lingers of the operator, as shown in Fig. 13, so as to throw upward one end ofA the key member g and raise the pawl g3 out of engagement with the rack bs. This will permit the carriage to be returned to its starting-point.

It has been eXplained'that the type-form is provided with a single row of characters concentricto the pivotd6 and made up of upper and lower case type arranged in groups, the lower-case charactersbeing alongside of the respective upper-case characters, and each group ofcharacters having one of the fingers d4 of the finger-wheel d5 arranged just above it. The type-form is adjusted around its aXis to position the type for impression, and it is adjusted or shifted inthe same manner to place the'type-form in position to impress'an upper or lower case type. The` front portion of the basket c of the carriage is formed with In this recess isadapted to beV a recess-c5. l depressed the fingers yof the nger-wheel. The operator wishing to adj ust the type-form iinds the desiredletter' on the cap-plate d5 and then turns the finger-wheel'around until the proper finger-liesover the depression c5 and while slightly bearing on said :finger turns the plate inthe direction of depression c5, into which the finger will drop automatically. He then presses this ringer down in said depression.` Mounted. against the front side of theV basket c and held in such position by lugs c, struck up fromthe body-plate c of the carriage, is a shifting device in the form of a plate or bar h, set edgewise, as shown. This plate has a raised upper portion fitted in a slot c? ,in the outwardly-turned upper edge of the basket c at thev front thereof, and the upwardextension on the shiftingplate h is formed with a depression or notch hf therein. This notch is of sufficient size to receive easily one of the fingers ofthe finger-wheel, and the shifting plate 7L is mounted to slide tangentially of the said'wheel, the depression c5 of the'basket c being larger than the depression 77,', so that one of'the ngers of the fingerwheel may be moved down into the depression hand held there and the bar h shifted to give thefinger-wheel and the attached typeformaslight movement around its axis without displacing the finger d4 from the depression c5. rThe normal position of the shifting device is that shown in Fig. 6,'and when the shifting device is in this position and theinger-wheel adjusted so that the .desired iinger lies in the depression 7L by operating theV key Q7 alower-case type will be impressed. To impressan upper-case type, the shifting device must be moved tothe right from the position shownin Fig. 6 to that shown in Fig.`8.` This will turnthe type-ormsufliciently to bring the upper-case type in position, and upon operating the key member g anvupper-case characterwill be impressed. The shifting device h is held in its normal position (see Fig. ()by a retractile spring h2,

IOO

and pivotally connected with the shifting device is a key member h3. This key member has a link 7L, connecting it with a stud o8 or other suitable device formed on the bodyplate c' of the carriage. The key member h3 has a key h fastened thereto, and the front end of the key member h3 is4 extended over so as normally to lie upon the key member g. By pressing down on the key h5, owing to the action of the link 7L, the shifting device h will be moved from the position shown in Fig. 5 to that shown in Fig. 8, and, further,

l the downward movement of the key h5 will cause the key member g to be thrown down at its left-hand end, thus engaging the eX- tension gG of the key member g with the arm e2 of the impression device and causing the finger e to engage the type-form to operate it. It will follow from the above description that the operation of the key h5 will result, first, in the shifting movement of the bar h to place an upper-case type in position for impression and, second, in operating the impressionfinger to impress the type and operate the spacing-pawl to advance the carriage. Therefore whatever it may be the desire of the operator to eiect-that is to say, whether he desires to space the carriage or to space the carriage and impress a lower-case type or to space the carriage and impress an upper-case type-it is only necessary for him to effect one movement-that is to say, to press down v the proper one of the three keys involved in the machine.

On the plate l1'l of the carriage-frame is formed a scale b9, and with this scale reads an indicator-point o, formed on the clamping-plate o3 of the carriage, such indicatorpoint c? constituting part of the front wall ot' an orifice formed in the carriage immediately in front of the basket c thereof, so as to expose the scale to view. In connection with this scale'it will be seen by reference to Fig. 5 that the plate b4 of the carriage-frame lies with its rear edge immediately over the platen, and consequently over the paper held thereon, and the scale b9 being formed on the rear edge of the plate b4 will lie in the immediate vicinity of the line of the last letters impressed on the papel'. Consequently a person glancing along this line of letters will be able to see the position of any one thereof with respect to the scale.

On the right-hand extremity of the plate gzis carried a bell z', with suitable mechanism 17 (see Figs. et and 6) for ringing the bell by engagement of said devices 1l with a detent as, formed on one of the walls a of the base a,

this bell being arranged to sound as the carriage reaches the end of its movement in a similar manner to other machines of this character.

In using the type-writer the paper should be placed on the platen, as explained, and one hand should be employed to manipulate the disposed to space, shift, and impress the type,

these various functions may be performed very rapidly and correctly.

In the modification shown in Fig. l5 the fingers d4 of the finger-wheel d3 instead of Y having the knobs formed by bending up a portion of the metal forming the fingers, as in the other views, are provided with rubber finger members di, covering the fingers and having knobs or raised portions formed integral therewith to be engaged by the fingers of the operator. These finger members d? are independent of each other and are disposed radially, the same as the fingers cl".

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. In a type-writer, the combination of a base, a platen thereon, a carriage frame mounted on the base to move toward and from the platen, a carriage movable on the frame, a type-form on the carriage, the type-form being adjustable to position the type for impression, an index-wheel for the type-form, said wheel having flexible fingers arranged in relation to the characters on the wheel, means for impressing the type, and means for moving the carriage to space the type.

2. In a type-writer, the combination of a platen, printing devices, and a paper-guard in connection with the printing devices, said guard sliding over the paper to smooth it as the printing devices are moved into operative position.

3. In a type-writer, the combination of a base, a platen thereon, a frame mounted on the base to move toward and from the platen, printing devices on the frame, and a paperguard connected with the frame to slide over and smooth the paper on the platen as the -frame is moved to operative position.

4:.l In a type-writer, the combination of a base, a platen thereon, a frame mounted pivotally on the base to swing toward and from the platen, and a paper-guard mounted on the frame off the center of movement of the frame and pressed to the platen, for the purpose specified.

5. A type-writer, comprisinga track, anda carriage mounted to move thereon, said carriage having two members clamping a part of the track between them to render the carriage friction-tight on the track.

6. vA type-writer, comprising a track, a carriage mounted thereon and having a circular basket and a body-plate projecting forwardly therefrom, a type-form mounted in the basket of the carriage, an index-wheel above the typeform, the index-Wheel having raised fingers aiding in locating a type, and impression and spacing mechanism mounted on thebodyvplate of the carriage.

7. A type-Writenhaving a base, a platen, a carriage-frame mounted on the base, and'comprising a track, a carriage mounted on'the track and having a part turned over one edge of the track to prevent lateral .movement of the carriage on the track, and printing mechanism arranged on the carriage.

8. In a type-writer, a type-form mounted to turn and havingupper and lower case letters,in combination With an index-wheel having upper and lower case letters and provided with fingers, of which single fingers serve to indicate both an upper-case and a lower-case letter.

' 9. In a type-writer, a type-form mounted to turn and having upper and lower case letters in a singlecircular line, in combination With an index-wheel having upper and lower case letters in separate circular lines and formed with fingers, of which single fingers serve to indicate both an upper and a lower case letter.

10. Ina type-Writer, lthe combination with a type-form, of printing devices including a key capable of shifting the type-form andimpressing a type by a single movement.`

11. Ina type-writer, the combination of a track, a carriage mounted thereon, a typetorm on the carriage, spacing'devices for the carriage, a shifting device for the type-form, means for operatingsaid devices in succession, and means for operating the spacing devices independently.

12. In a type-writer, the combination of a track, a carriage mounted thereon,.a typeform on the carriage, an impression device for the type-form, a shifting device for t-he type-form, means for operating said devices in succession, and means for operating the spacing devices independently. A Y

13. In a type-Writer, a type-form, an impression device therefor, a shifting device therefor,and means for operating said devices either in succession or independently.

14. In a type-Writer, a type-form, an impression device, a shifting device, and a key member for each of said devices,tl1e key member of one lying in the path of movement of the other, for the purpose specified.

15. In a'type-Writer, a type-form, an Vimpression device, -a shifting device, and a key member for each of said devices,the key member of the impression device lying in the path of movement of the key member of the shitting device.

16. In a type-writer, a type-form, a rockbar having an impression-finger arranged to strike the type-form,a finger-wheel connected to the type-form, a shifting-bar adapted to be engaged by the finger-wheel, means for operating the shifting-bar'and rock-bar in succession, and means for operating the rock-bar independently.

v17'. A type-Writer having a type-form, an impression device therefor, a spacing device, and a key memberfor actuating said devices,

the key member moving partially to actuate one of said devices and further to actuate both. Y g

18. A type-Writer, having a type-form, an impression device therefor, a spacing device, a key member working with said devices, and a key carried on said member to have limited independent movement with respect thereto.

19. In a type-writer, the combination of a track, a carriage thereon, a type-form on the carriage, an impression device, a'spacing de- Avice for moving the carriage on the track,

ber moving partially to actuate the pawl independently and moving farther to actuate the pawl and impression device simultaneously.

2l. A type-Writer havinga type-form, a iinger-wheel connected thereto, means for impressing the type-form, a shifting-bar adapted to be engaged by the' linger-wheel, and '-means for actuating the shifting-bar.

IOO

22. A type-Writer having a type-form, and

an impression device comprising a rock-bar provided with a laterally-projected finger to engage the type-form.l

23. A type-writer having a type-form, an vimpression device comprising.arock-barprovided with a laterally-projected inger to engage ythe type-form and also having` a laterally-projected arm, and a key member in the path of movement of which said arm ot' the rock-bar lies, for the purpose specified.l

24. kA type-writer, having a flexible typeform, arock-bar mounted over the type-form and having a laterally-projected impressionfinger bearing on and normallysustained by ,the type-form, said rock-bar also havinga lateral arm, and a key in the path of movement of which said arm of the rock-bar lies, for the purpose specified.

25. A type-writer having a base, a platen thereon,a carriage-frame mounted on the base to move toward and from the platen, and having a part with a scale thereon, a carriage and printingmechanism mounted on the frame, `the scale being readable with reference to the carriage and printing mechanism.

26. In a type-writer, a type-form and shifting mechanism therefor comprising a shift- I IO In testimony whereof we have each signed I5 our name to this specication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

VWILLIAM J. THOMPSON.

PHILIP BECKER.

Vitnesses as to the signature Of Tilliam J. Thompson:

J. L. MOAULIFE, EVERARD BOLTON MARSHALL. Witnesses as to the signature of Philip Becker:

MATTHEW BRADY,

JOHN J. MOEWEN. 

